Kentucky Oaks 2014: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

The day before the Kentucky Derby is reserved for the Kentucky Oaks, the most prominent horse racing event for fillies. The 2014 Oaks took place on Friday May 2, and will hosted 12 fillies (after one was scratched at the gate) on the 1 1/8 mile-track at Churchill Downs.

Untappable, who entered the race as the even money favorite, emerged from the middle of the pack for a convincing victory, finishing the race in

Here’s what you need to know:

1. All Horses Are 3-Year-Old Fillies

The Oaks is a Grade I stakes race, giving it one of the biggest purses in thoroughbred racing. The fillies run with 121 pounds (the weight of their jockeys) on their backs.

3. Untapable Entered as the Favorite

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Untapable is prohibitive favorite, with odds of 4/5. Her odds moved down to 6/5 before moving back to even money at the start of the race.

4. The Prize is $600,000

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The full purse for the Kentucky Oaks is $1,000,000 with $600,000 going to the first place winner. As is traditional, the winning horse will also win a giant garland of lilies, colloquially called the “Lilies for the Fillies.”

5. The Kentucky Derby Takes Place on Saturday

The following day, Saturday, is the anxiously awaited Kentucky Derby, at which Calfornia Chrome is the frontrunner. You can watch a preview of the race and see the favorites in the video above.